Europe prices

Europe is famously home to some of the most expensive cities on earth for the traveler, but there are also some fantastic bargains as well. Generally speaking, the farther north you go the more expensive things get, though there are a few exceptions. The former East also remains comparitively cheap though the gap seems to close more each year.

Seasons also obviously play a huge role in travel costs for Europe. Most of the continent is jammed with holiday-makers during July and August, though some larger cities in the south actually empty out a bit and are good bargains if you can put up with the sweltering heat. Unfortunately, some cities, especially in the north, have such challenging weather during the off season that there's no point in even trying.

Europe travel prices

Austria

Salzburg costs – At the base of the Alps, this small city is a major highlight of Austria, especially for fans of Mozart or the Sound of Music movie.

Vienna costs – A classic old European city with grand palaces

Belgium

Bruges costs – A small and touristy town that's definitely worth a look

Brussels costs – Often considered boring by those who don't love unusual beers and chocolate

Bosnia and Herzagovina

Sarajevo costs – Arguably the most interesting and exotic city in the region, Sarajevo also has a lovely setting and a fascinating Muslim Quarter

Bulgaria

Sofia costs – One of Europe's cheapest capitals is gaining in popularity

Croatia

Dubrovnik costs – Hard to reach and touristy but still wonderful

Split costs – This coastal town has a lot in common with Dubrovnik, but it's larger, cheaper, and easier to reach unless you are on a cruise ship

Zagreb costs – A modern look at the former East

Czech Republic

Cesky Krumlov costs

Prague costs – Gorgeous but not nearly as cheap as it once was

Denmark

Copenhagen costs – Stunning city and residents for those who can afford it

England

London costs – Required stop for good reasons

Estonia

Tallinn costs – Interesting and cheaper alternative to nearby Scandinavia

Finland

Helsinki costs – Eastern influences make the high prices worth a visit

France

Nice costs – The cheapest city in the south of France is a great budget base

Paris costs – Expensive, stunningly beautiful, and fascinating

Germany

Berlin costs – Interesting, friendly, and reasonably priced look at the former East

Hamburg costs – Germany's second largest city has much to offer in addition to the Beatles attractions and the Red Light District

Munich costs – Germany's most pleasant city is Bavarian and efficient

Greece

Athens costs – Several important sights make this sprawling city worth at least a short stop

Mykonos costs – One of Greece's most popular islands, and with good transport links

Rhodes costs – Just off the coast of Turkey, Rhodes has some ancient sites and many all-inclusive resorts

Santorini costs – Probably the most popular Greek island and a good gauge of prices in general

Hungary

Budapest costs – Lovely and cheap, plus filled with affordable spa possibilities

Iceland

Reykjavik costs – Compact and interesting, and not as expensive as before

Ireland

Dublin costs – A must-stop gateway to the real charm of Ireland

Galway costs – Cheaper than Dublin and where to see traditional music performances

Italy

Florence costs – The heart of Tuscany is filled with interesting sights

Milan costs – An easy to reach and very different city known for fashion and banking

Naples costs – The home of pizza and Pompeii is definitely worth a visit if you have time

Rome costs – Confusing, expensive, and you just have to see for yourself

Sorrento costs – This is a lovely town a bit south of Naples that makes a perfect base to visit Naples by day, as well as the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii, and the Isle of Capri

Venice costs – Touristy but absolutely worth a night or two

Latvia

Riga costs – A historic city that gets its share of cruise passengers in summer

Lithuania

Vilnius costs – Similar to Riga and Tallinn, but without a port or cruise visitors, so it feels a bit more authentic

Luxembourg

Luxembourg City costs – This small and forgotten country has a picturesque and charming capital that is worth a stop between Brussels and Paris

Malta

Valletta costs – The capital of Malta is probably not where you want to stay, but it's you'll at least want to visit for a day

Monaco

Monaco costs – Playground for the rich, a good day trip from Nice

Netherlands

Amsterdam costs – Beautiful city center loaded with museums, plus coffee shops

Norway

Bergen costs – The largest city along Norway's west coast is probably the best stop for those who just want to go one place in the country

Oslo costs – The extremely expensive gateway to Norway's scenic northern destinations

Poland

Krakow costs – Charming and still very cheap – a great travel bargain

Warsaw costs – The booming capital is likely to continue to gain fans as it modernizes.

Portugal

Faro costs – The largest city in Portugal's Algarve region along its southern coast

Lisbon costs – Interesting and nothing like next-door Spain

Porto costs – Portugal's second city and definitely worth a stop if you have time

Romania

Bucharest costs – This huge city gets mixed reviews from many tourists, but it's cheap and interesting, to say the least.

Russia

Moscow costs – Interesting and challenging, plus quite expensive for most

St. Petersburg costs – The former capital is known for museums and palaces

Scotland

Edinburgh costs – Touristy city center but worthwhile and fun

Serbia

Belgrade costs – The largest city in former Yugoslavia is cheap and pleasant, if not too memorable

Slovakia

Bratislava costs – The capital of Slovakia is worth a day or two if you are in the area

Slovenia

Ljubljana – This charming town is a good base for trips to the nearby nature sites within Slovenia

Spain

Barcelona costs – Great party city and unique culture

Granada costs – This city is home to the famous Alhambra, which is worth a look for anyone touring Spain

Ibiza costs – This famous party island is packed in summer and empty the rest of the year

Madrid costs – Traditional Spain and very grand

Malaga costs – The largest city in the Costa del Sol is quite interesting on its own, even if most people just head to the beach

Seville costs – Another popular city in Spain's Andalusia region and worth two or three days if you have the time

Tenerife costs – The largest of Spain's Canary islands has pleasant weather pretty much all year long, so it's especially popular in winter

Valencia costs – Spain's third largest city is a bit underrated and worth a visit if you can spare two or three days

Sweden

Stockholm costs – Beautiful city and very expensive for nearly everything

Switzerland

Interlaken costs – This is the place to see the best Alps views in the shortest amount of time in this expensive country

Lucerne costs – If you have time for a second stop in Switzerland then make it Lucerne

Zurich costs – Rich, clean, efficient, and very expensive

Turkey

Antalya costs – The largest city along Turkey's Med coast is also charming, historic, and cheap

Istanbul costs – East meets west with great sights and markets, plus its cheap

Kas costs – I lived in this small town for over a year and it's worth a look if you are anywhere nearby

Ukraine

Kiev costs – Ukraine's capital doesn't get many foreign visitors, but at least it's very cheap

Speaking of Europe prices, here are 7 of the best destinations for a cheap European city break.